November 7, 2018 - The Board of Directors of the Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) congratulates three of its team members on being recognized as leaders in sustainability.

This month,

CUTRIC’s Executive Director & C.E.O, Dr. Josipa Petrunic, is being awarded as one of Canada's 2018 Top 40 Under 40® for her leadership in building a national technology consortium dedicated to low-carbon smart mobility technologies across Canada.

CUTRIC’s National Operations Manager & Project Lead, Kristina Mlakar, is being named a 2018 Corporate Knights Sustainability Top 30 Under 30 recipient for her work in developing a Smart Vehicle Mobility project across five provinces.

CUTRIC’s Program Manager, Dr. Anahita Jami, is nominated as a finalist in the ECO Canada Impact Awards, which aims to highlight the work of individuals who demonstrate leadership and commitment to environmental innovation.

“We are proud to have them on our team!” says Sue Connor, Chair of CUTRIC.

Canada’s Top 40 Under 40® sponsored by Caldwell Partners and BNN Bloomberg is an annual recognition of the exceptional achievements of 40 outstanding Canadians under the age of 40 in business, innovation and entrepreneurship. Dr. Josipa Petrunic is being honoured for her leadership advocating for transit’s shift to electric, hydrogen and smart mobility as a way to reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Corporate Knights’ Top 30 Under 30 distinguishes individuals under 30
years old who are showing innovative leadership on sustainability issues. Ms. Mlakar leads CUTRIC’s National Smart Vehicle Demonstration and Integration Trial that will integrate fully autonomous and electric shuttles in up to 13 cities across Canada as a “first-mile/ last-mile” solution to overcome accessibility and convenience barriers for ridership.

The ECO Canada Impact Awards recognizes certified environmental professionals who have led ground-breaking projects. Dr. Jami led the development of a new methodology for accurately measuring and comparing greenhouse gas emissions among transit systems in Ontario.
“CUTRIC is a place where bright minds are doing great things in advancing low-carbon smart mobility for Canada and the world,” closes Connor.

CUTRIC is a member-based innovation consortium that partners stakeholders in industry, transit and academia to develop the next-generation of low-carbon smart mobility technologies. Its mandate is to drive forward innovation in transportation across Canada, create jobs by doing so, and lead to significant GHG reductions.

BNN Bloomberg, in partnership with executive search firm Caldwell Partners announced the 2018 class of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 on Wednesday, shining a spotlight on some of the nation’s top young innovators and entrepreneurs.

“It’s easy to understand why we recognize and honour the Top 40 — they are truly remarkable young women and men, who are experts in their fields and passionate about their work and communities,” Elan Pratzer, managing partner for Canada at Caldwell said in a statement.

“I also thank our program partners for their commitment. They understand that when we honour young leaders, it builds a sense of responsibility in them to be bold but thoughtful, and to contribute to our national economic and social vigour.”

The recipients will be honoured at a gala in Toronto on Nov. 21 and will also be featured in exclusive BNN Bloomberg interviews throughout the summer.

In a recent press release, North America’s leading provider of electric vehicles for public transportation Nova Bus has announced a Canada-wide integration plan for their buses and charging stations will be implemented in public transit systems across the nation. The new fleet will be the first of its kind internationally. The project was completed in collaboration with the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC).

The Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) with its partners in Brampton and the Regional Municipality of York, have launched the Pan-Canadian Electric Bus Demonstration & Integration Trial: Phase I.
The trials are part of a national coordinated effort to advance zero emissions transit technology.

The project combines manufacturers, transit agencies, utilities, funding partners, research teams and technology developers to ensure a world-leading demonstration trial with TransLink in Vancouver, B.C., and now with Brampton Transit and the Regional Municipality of York, with Brampton Transit the first to initiate and champion the national trial planning process back in 2016.

“With this visionary funding investment, we are launching the Pan-Canadian Electric Bus Demonstration & Integration Trial: Phase I – which has a national project value of $40 Million and encompasses 18 standardized and interoperable electric buses, seven standardized and interoperable overhead chargers, and on five routes in three cities,” says CUTRIC Executive Director & CEO Josipa Petrunic. “Today’s funding announcement by the Province of Ontario is building the future of low-carbon smart mobility in this country.”

Ontario is reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of municipal transit systems by launching a new pilot program to test electric battery-powered buses on Brampton and York Region streets. This investment is part of Ontario's Climate Change Action Plan and is funded by proceeds from the province's cap on pollution and carbon market.

Steven Del Duca, Minister of Economic Development and Growth made the announcement today in Newmarket.

The province is supporting the purchase of 14 electric buses and four charging stations for transit systems in York Region and Brampton. The Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC), a green transportation group, is coordinating the projects. The buses are expected to begin service in 2019.

The Pan-Canadian Electric Bus Demonstration and Integration Trial: Phase I was launched at TransLink in Vancouver as part of a national coordinated effort to advance zero emissions transit technology, spear-headed by the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC).

Call it the people’s Tesla. TransLink is set to embark on a two-and-a-half-year trial that will see the transit authority test electric batteries on four buses on its route 100 that takes commuters along Marine Drive through Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster. The trial will see battery-charging stations installed at two ends of the route: one at Marpole Loop, and the other at the 22nd Avenue SkyTrain station.

The project comes as part of an effort being led across Canada by the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC), and TransLink said it will allow them to look at a way to keep emissions down while also providing an efficient trip for commuters.

VANCOUVER — Member of Parliament for Steveston—Richmond East, Joe Peschisolido, on behalf of Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Jim Carr, will make a green infrastructure investment announcement at the Vancouver Transit Centre in Vancouver, B.C. A media availability will follow.

In November SPBID’s Director of Real Estate & Planning, Josh Kreger, gave us some insight into the ways the growth of autonomous vehicles will reshape the public realm. Shortly after, the Los Angeles Auto Show brought transportation leaders from all over the world to South Park for AutoMobility LA. There, we were introduced to Dr. Josipa Petrunic, Executive Director and CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC). Dr. Petrunic took some time to (very thoroughly!) answer our questions about the potential of autonomous vehicles, the role of the public sector, electric buses, and preparing the streetscape and the public for these new technologies.

The Québec government is launching its second call for mobilizing projects in transportation electrification to stimulate research and innovation in this industry and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
In 2015, following the first call, the project Mobilizing Development of Innovative 100% Electric Heavy Vehicles was launched.
This second call for projects is part of the implementation of the 2015-2020 Electrification Action Plan and the 2013-2020 Action Plan on Climate Change.
Deadline to submit a project
Projects must be submitted by March 9, 2018.
Companies will be informed in writing of the eligibility of their file within fifteen working days after the closing date of the call for projects.
Detailed information can be found on the project call webpage.